Jeff Richard wrote: The clay Mostali are likely misshapen, short, and often ugly. But they were not made by the Maker.Is that true? And if they weren't-why should they be misshapen and ugly? (I reckon short is a perfectly reasonable given)
Donald Oddy wrote: I'm trying to think of any depictions of a dwarf race as misshapen. Short and stocky yes, but misshapen appears in literature and myth as an attribute of individuals who are part of the human race. That's part of the genetic disorder known as dwarfism and not relevant to the Mostali of Glorantha.
As Jeff says, Elder Secrets, book 2 page 10 says; "Dwarfs have disproportionately short limbs and many are hunchbacked or otherwise distorted." (although there's nothing in the text that make sit clear that its only clay mostali that they're talking about). Also- "Dwarf facial features are rather grotesque-looking to humans, but are not hideous or repulsive." (For the record, the RW disorder known as dwarfism (Achondroplasia) is not classically associated with physical deformities, rather stunted long bone growth.)
Donald Oddy wrote: And that's influenced by the fact that most of the Mostali that humans see are less than perfect - they have started to deteriorate because they aren't following the way of Mostal.
Fair play, as I suggested this in the post yesterday.
Donald Oddy wrote: You should also bear in mind that the man rune doesn't represent human. It represents beings which can stand upright and have intelligence. What's perfect to a Mostali may seem very different to us.
OK, firstly, is that statement right-are there any other races, apart from humans associated only with the man rune? I can't think of any (but that doesn't mean anything..). And secondly, even if the Man rune is less specific, does it make sense that the physical characteristics of this major Elder Race (ageing and decay) are fundamentally opposed to what should be their core, runic nature? That seems really wrong to me.
Felix
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